This is turning into an incredible story.
In one of the more bizarre headhunter searches in recent times, the executives of MLSE have talked to anyone with a pulse and an old age pension in regard to the “mentoring” position for John Ferguson Jr. They have approached Scotty Bowman (age 73), John Muckler (also 73), two relative youngsters David Poile (57) and Bobby Clarke (58) and now apparently Harry Sinden (74).
The Leafs seem determined to undercut any value their current GM may have, by trotting out the elder statesmen of the last century. And while we no doubt suspect that all those considered thus far have a fair amount of hockey knowledge and have probably forgotten more than we’ll ever learn, most of it was forged back when the players could be sent to Siberia or Springfield at the whim of the manager.
The long running saga which first got its legs before the playoffs had even finished, has carried on to comedic lengths, with the only message that doesn’t seem to be getting through is that there aren’t that many people really in a hurry to work for the crazy rich guys guarding the Teachers fund at the Air Canada Centre.
How this whole bizarre scenario is impacting on his ability to run the Leafs is a very valid question. It’s the most foolish thing we’ve seen in a long time from the franchise that used to make Foolish its corporate mantra.
You have to feel a fair degree of sympathy for Ferguson, who may be wondering just what it is that his bureaucratic masters at MLSE really want from him. More importantly perhaps he should be looking to find his parachute and go to a franchise a little less loony in their approach to upper management.
12 years ago
